A private hospital in Mumbai is set to become the first to provide free vaccination for all adults from Friday. Having a stock of nearly 17,000 vaccines, the Bombay Hospital in Marine Lines has partnered with LIC HFL and an NGO called the Golden Hour Foundation to fund the vaccine doses. The hospital will administer both first and second doses but will only provide Covishield, according to a Times of India report.
Several private hospitals so far have provided vaccines free of cost to people living in slums with the help of CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives from companies. Dr Gautam Bhansali of the Bombay Hospital told TOI, “We will perhaps be the first in the country to roll out vaccination from all walks of life at no cost.” He said that this will be done with contribution from two agencies.
Bhasali added that the hospital will bear the Rs 150 service charge and the agencies will pay the vaccine cost, helping the hospital cover more people. The agencies have given Rs 50 lakh to the hospital.
As paid vaccinations are witnessing a drop over the last few months, over 45 lakh doses are left with private hospitals in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune. Experts have advised that private hospitals should either administer vaccines for free or find CSR donors. However, with the fall in demand and the increase in government vaccination camps, private hospitals do not see many takers.
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